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Utah gymnastics seals one of its strongest recruiting classes by signing a pair of world champions

(Elise Amendola | AP file photo) Grace McCallum competes on the uneven bars at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Boston, Aug. 19, 2018.

Two of the nation’s elite gymnasts — Kara Eaker and Grace McCallum — inked national letters-of-intent with Utah gymnastics on National Signing Day.

As two of the most decorated signees in program history, the duo will vie for a 2021 Olympic Team berth prior to continuing their illustrious gymnastics careers in Salt Lake City.

Tallying four gold medals between the two future Utes, Eaker and McCallum were World champions with Team USA back-to-back years at the World Championships.

At the 2019 World Championships last October, there was a significant Red Rocks presence as the six-gymnast Team USA squad contained three Utes in Stuttgart, Germany. Eaker, McCallum and MyKayla Skinner earned berths on the Worlds team to make up half of the selected elites at the largest event of the year.

(Rebecca Blackwell | AP file photo) Kara Eaker, far left, at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, Saturday, July 27, 2019.

“Kara and Grace’s accolades speak for themselves,” said Utah head coach Tom Farden. “They are some of the most accomplished gymnasts in the U.S. and are both legitimate contenders for the 2021 Olympics next summer. This is one of the finest recruiting classes in the country and history of our storied program.”

Loaded with experience and tremendous success as teammates, the Ute signees have been U.S. National Team members together since 2018 and were teammates with Skinner this past year in her return to elite competition.

Adding to the Red Rocks connection, Eaker and McCallum will also reunite with current Ute and former National Team member Maile O’Keefe. Additionally, McCallum will reunite with club teammate Abby Paulson. Eaker and McCallum were also teammates early in their senior elite careers when they competed for the gold-medal winning Team USA at the 2018 Pan American Championships.